Gold
by SupernaturalGirl1
Summary: Neal gets into trouble and Peter helps him out. Nealwhump.
1. Chapter 1

Neal turned the corner, into a long alley, he always took to work. Somebody grabbed him and threw him up against the wall. Neal's head hit the concrete wall hard and he was slightly dizzy.

"Hello, Mr. Cafferey. You have access to something that I want."

"And that would be?"

"Twenty bars of gold, which your friend Peter has locked up in the evidence locker."

"I'm not going to steal anything from the evidence locker." Neal started to walk away. The man grabbed Neal and held a knife to his throat.

"You will do what I tell you or Peter's wife dies. You have until three o'clock. I'll be in touch. If you tell anyone, bullets will start to fly." The man gave Neal another shove and disappeared. Neal's head was spinning, should he tell Peter or keep quiet? Neal cautiously made his way to the office. When Neal stepped off the elevator, Peter was waiting for him.

"You're late."

"I know. Can I talk to you? Alone." Peter led the way to his office. Neal shut the door. He let out a sigh and turned to face Peter. "This morning…" A red dot shined brightly on Peter's forehead. Neal didn't think that snipers would be waiting. "Um…never mind." Neal quickly left Peter's office and sat down at his own desk. Peter stood confused in his office, but became distracted quickly with his work.

Diana walked in with a box, with tape that said evidence on it. Neal stood to help her with it. And slowly everything fell into its place. Peter called for Diana, and Diana asked Neal to drop the box off in the evidence locker. When Diana's back was turned, Neal picked up his brief case and sat it on top of the box. He made his way to the evidence locker.

When he was inside, he moved quickly and placed the bars in his brief case and left quickly. He swiftly placed the brief case under his desk and sat down as if nothing had happened. The phone on his desk rang. Neal picked it up.

"Very good, Mr. Cafferey. I will be at the front of the police station in ten minutes, you better be waiting." The line went dead. Neal calmly replaced the phone into its holder and rose. He made his way to Peter's office.

"Can I help you Neal?"

"Yeah, I'm going to take a lunch break."

"That sounds good, I'll go with you."

"No, um, it looks like you have a lot of work to do, so I'll bring you something." Before Peter could reply, Neal was down the stairs, briefcase in hand, headed for the elevator. Peter glanced at Diana.

"Something is up." Peter stood and put his jacket on. "Watch the office, I'm going to figure out what's going on."

Just as Neal walked out the front doors a black car with tinted windows rolled up. The front passenger window rolled down. The same man from the alley smiled evilly at Neal.

"I see you have what I want." Neal walked towards the car and handed the briefcase to the man.

"Now leave and don't bother me or anyone I know."

"Just one more thing." Neal looked confused. "I know you, you're going to go to your buddy Peter and tattle on me." The man raised a gun to Neal. Neal took a couple steps back.

'No, I won't." Just then Peter burst through the front doors.

"Neal!" Neal looked at Peter and then the man.

"No. it's not what you think. I didn't tell him anything."

"Not taking any chances." The man fired and Neal and then the car sped away.

Peter froze when he heard the gunshot. Time seemed to slow as Neal fell to the ground and the car sped away. Peter went into cop mode and tried to catch the license plate number. When the car disappeared he dropped down next to Neal.

"Neal?" His breathing was labored and his eyes were glazed over. "Neal, can you hear me?"

"P-peter?" Neal's eyes met Peter's. "You're welcome." Peter's face twisted with confusion. Peter placed his hand on Neal's chest, trying to slow the bleeding.

"For what Neal."

"He threatened to k-kill El a-and y-you. I-I saved y-you."

"How did you Neal?"

"I s-stole g-gold from t-the e-evidence locker." It was becoming harder for Neal to breath. 'd-don't worry I-I put a t-tracker in the case."

Peter looked up when sirens could be heard. He hadn't even thought to call them, but with a quick glance around, he noticed that Diana was standing behind him, phone in hand. He gave her a nod of approval and put his attention back on Neal. His eyes were now closed and his chest no longer rose or fell."

"Neal!"


	2. Chapter 2

Peter paced back and forth. The small waiting room seemed to be closing in on him. All he wanted to do was run away as fast as he could, away from this whole situation. Anger, fear, and desperation bubbled inside him. He glanced at the clock again, the thing ticked loudly but time didn't seem to pass. His phone in his front pant pocket buzzed.

"What?!"

"Peter…" Diana's voice was tired. "We picked up the GPS tracker that Neal stuck into the suit case."

"Good, go get them." Peter hung up the phone. He didn't want to do anything else but see Neal. Suddenly, he remembered that he hadn't called El. She would want to know, because somehow Neal had weaseled his way into the Burke family.

"Hi, honey!" El sounded surprised.

"El. Neal's hurt. He's hurt bad." Peter tried to stifle the tears. Since when did he care about Neal Caffrey?

"Peter, what happened?" Peter couldn't respond, his throat was dry and tears clouded his vision. "I'm coming." Peter finally sat down in a seat. His anger had milted into fear for his friend, no _best _friend.

"Peter!" Burke looked up and met his wife's eyes. She looked frantic. "Tell me. What happened?"

"Neal was late to work this morning, and then he was acting strange. I didn't think anything of it until he didn't want me to go with him for lunch. So I decided to follow him. Just as I walked outside I saw him hand a briefcase to a man in a car. And I called to him, and then the man shot him." Peter looked up. "El, if I wouldn't have said anything, then Neal wouldn't be…"

"Peter Burke! Stop that right now, you always do that. You blame yourself for everything bad that happens, when you have nothing to do with it. Now, what was in the briefcase and why was Neal giving it to them?"

Peter was about to respond but his cell phone rang.

"This is Burke." Diana's voice flowed through the phone, she sounded out of breath.

"We found him boss. He tried to run, so Jones shot him in the leg." Peter tried not to grin.

"I want to personally question him, but…"

"I know, you're needed there." Peter hung up the phone and faced his wife.

"Diana and Jones got him. When I get a hold of him, he's going to wish that he was dead." Anger once again replaced the fear in Peter's gut.

"Ok, they caught him. Now finishing telling me why Neal was giving the man a briefcase." Peter explained that the man had threated to kill him and El. And Neal was only trying to be the good guy and keep them safe.

"So Neal is a hero." Peter nodded in agreement to his wife's statement.

"Agent Burke." A doctor was standing in the doorway of the ER. Peter stood and walked over to them.

El watched as the doctor talked to Peter. She prayed that good news was being passed between the two, but Peter's back was to her and the doctor showed no emotion. Finally, the doctor went back through the doors. El waited for Peter to come to her, but he just stood staring at the wall. El walked to him.

"Peter? What did the doctor say?" Peter had unshed tears in his eyes.

"He's in ICU. But they don't think that he'll make it through the night. The bullet did a lot of damage to his heart and he lost a lot of blood." A single tear fell from Peter's eyes. Suddenly, Peter was overwhelmed with anger. "You stay here. I'm going down to the stations." Peter pulled out his phone and called Diana.

"I'm coming in. Get that son-of-a-bitch ready for questioning."


	3. Chapter 3

Peter Burke stormed into the office. Diana was by his side in a second. She pointed towards his office. Through the glass he could see a man dressed in orange with cuffs on. A uniformed officer stood next to him and another stood by the door. He nodded to Peter and opened the door. Before Peter was completely in the room the prisoner spoke.

"Hello Peter." Burke walked to his desk and sat down. "I'm sure you want to know some things."

"You would be correct on that one." Peter glared at him. He glanced down at the file on his desk. Peter read the name. "So, Thomas Morgan..."

"Ok I'm going to stop you there. Only my mother calls me Thomas. It's Tom."

"Tom. Let's start from the beginning. Why did you want Neal to steal the gold?"

"He's the best conman, I knew that he could do it."

"So, other than obvious reasons, why did you want the gold bars?"

"They belong to my boss."

"And your boss is..."

"I'm loyal to him so you will never know."

"Ok, moving on. Why did you shoot Neal Cafferey?"

"I felt like it." Anger bubbled inside Peter.

"You shoot someone because you _felt_ like it!" Tom smerked.

"Yea. That's right."

Peter wanted to strangle the guy. He wanted to take him out back and beat the crap out of him. He wanted to put a few bullets in him. For the first time in Peter's life he truly wanted to kill the man in front of him.

"Take him out of here." The two officers escorted Tom out to the waiting police car. Peter watched the car disappear into New York traffic. His phone began to vibrate. Eyes still focused outside, he answered the phone.

"Hello."

"Peter."

"Hi, El. That guy was a real scumbag."

"Peter, you might want to get down here, fast." Without saying goodbye Peter hung up the phone and ran out of the building. When he got to his car he slid in and took off as fast as he could.

He threw the c ar in park, not caring that he wasn't parked straight and ran towards the ER. El wasn't in the waiting room so Peter approached the desk.

"Can I help you."

"Yeah, I'm looking for Neal Cafferey." The secretary typed away.

"He's in the last room on the right." Peter ran to the end of the hall and entered the room. El sat in a chair pulled close to the bed. She had unshed tears in her eyes. Peter walked to her and gave her a hug. When she pulled away, tears rolled down her face.

"His heart is beating slower than it should and he isn't breathing on his own. He's fading fast." For the first time, Peter looked at Neal.

He looked like a child, in the hospital bed. His hair seemed darker next to his pale skin. His breathing seemed fake and labored. His lips looked blue. Neal didn't move, not even a twitch. The beeping of the monitor was quiet and each beep came slower than the first.

Peter felt as if he was dreaming. Neal can't die. He's a conman, he can con his way out of this one right? The reality suddenly hit him, he was going to lose his best friend. Peter sank into a chair and sobbed like a little girl. El tried to comfort him, but it didn't help much. The only thing that would help, was Neal.

Peter opened his eyes, when had he fallen asleep? He blinked a couple of times. It was probably midnight. He yawned and and reached a hand out to Neal. El was no longer in the room, so Peter decided to vent.

"Neal. To be honest...you're my best friend and I don't want to lose you. You have become a part of my family and...and..." Tears threatened to fall. "Just pull through, ok?" Peter leaned back in his chair, his hand still in Neal's. He decided to try and sleep some more.

El walked back into Neal's room. The sight in front of her, warmed her heart. Peter was fast asleep, head resting on Neal's bed. She smiled sadly and snapped a quick picture because this might be the last moment Peter had with Neal. She closed the door silently and went to the waiting room.

Neal felt like he was floating. He was going higher and higher, closer to the light. The light was warm and inviting. It called to him and coaxed him closer. But the closer Neal got the sadder he felt. He knew that he was leaving behind the people he loved the most. He tried to turn away, but the light kept pulling him closer. When the light had completely consumed him, a deep voice spoke to him.

"Neal Caffery. Are you ready?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Neal are you ready?"

"No!" Fear crept into Neal. He wasn't ready to die. He had so much to live for. "Let me go back. I won't disappoint you."

Peter felt stiff and still tired. He sat up and tried to stretch, his back groaned in protest. He yawned and stood up. The sun was cascading through the window and landing on Neal. In this moment Neal just looked like he was sleeping, and not close to death. Sadness washed over Peter, but hope still flourished. Neal had made it through the night, when the doctors had said he wouldn't. Right as Peter sat down, El walked in with coffee and doughnuts. Peter smiled at her and she pulled a chair next to him.

"Neal's strong, he'll make it." Peter just nodded in response.

Peter had his face buried in the newspaper when a nurse came in to check on Neal. Peter watched her carefully. She wrote some things down and then left quickly. She didn't say anything, so Peter assumed that everything was the same as before. As soon as Peter had focused back on the paper, the door opened again. Neal's doctor came in.

"Mr. Burke, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Why?"

"Neal seems to be breathing on his own so we are removing the tube." The news sparked the hope in Peter. Without another word he left and let the doctors do their work. After a couple of minutes the doctor left the room and came to Peter.

"How is he?"

"Better than expected. He is now breathing on his own and there are signs that he will wake up soon."

Peter almost pushed past the doctor to get back to Neal's room. Peter was surprised at how much color had come back to Neal's face. Peter nearly jumped when Neal began to move.

"Neal?" Neal seemed to respond to Peter's voice. "Neal, can you hear me?" Peter watched Neal closely. Slowly Neal's eyes opened. At first they appeared to be slightly glazed over but after a few blinks they cleared.

"Peter?" Neal's voice was weak and dry.

"Here have some water." Neal drank greedily. "You scared everyone." Peter smiled softly. "But you scared me most."

"I scared myself. I thought I was dead." Both men looked when the door opened. El walked in.

"Neal!" El darted forward and gave Neal a careful hug. "I knew you would make it."

Throughout the day many people came to visit Neal. They all seemed so happy that he was ok. That day Neal realized that he had a family, they may not be blood family, but they were family. And he vowed to never lose them, he loved them too much.


End file.
